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Fable: The Return Chapter 10
The King is counseled by an old friend in his journey through the darkness. Chapter 10 "It has been a long time old friend," Theresa stood before the king with her normal aura of magical energy around her, making the world stand still. Her robes are as they have always been, a hooded red cloak covering her body from head to toe, though she has taken to wearing a blindfold. "Yes…it has," The king responds tiredly. "I suppose you know why I am here?" "I was a fool and released some shades from the Void of evil?" "In essence, yes." The king can still feel Theresa's blank eyes looking at him through the blindfold, silently processing him, watching him, looking through what he is. "But I am afraid you do not yet understand what it is that has been unleashed upon the world. Even I do not fully understand, I have experience with this matter but…not much." "What do you mean?" "When I was a child, I was kidnapped by a Hero who went by the name, Jack of Blades." He knows that Theresa is going to talk about a deep and personal event, but he knows her tone of voice will never change while she speaks. That is just how she is, unchanging, emotionless, secretive. "It was he who took my eyes, at first I lived with the curse of being blind forever. but, bit by bit I found the powers that lie within my blood, I could see other worlds in my dreams and see outcomes of the future. I was taken in by the Bandit King, Twinblade, I grew up in his care. Once I was grown, my brother found me, he was a Hero from the Guild in its prime. My brother turned into the Hero of Oakvale in the coming years. We worked together to defeat Jack of Blades when he revealed himself finally in his attempt to burn all of Albion using weapon known as the Sword of Aeons." "The Sword of Aeons?" The king questioned quickly. "I remember that name…it was in the book in The Chamber of Fate. Jack of Blades opened a portal to retrieve it using the blood of the Archons." "Correct, that is where my brother's first battle with Jack took place, it was also where our mother lost her life by Jack's hand. My brother threw the sword back into the Void and saved my life that day. But Jack recovered his soul and he remade his body into that of a dragon." "The dragon behind the Golden Gate?" "Yes, I believe that is some children's story now…the great Hero who slated the last dragon. I told that story to your father while he was under my care in his youth. My brother was truly an amazing Hero, he defeated Jack of Blades on two separate occasions and destroyed his soul…or so we thought." "What?" The king looks at her shocked. "What do you mean?" "Somehow, Jack has always found a way to preserve his soul. It was once that he would escape into his mask and wait for a new body to wear. I am not sure how he managed to escape after his mask was thrown into the lava pit behind the Golden Gate, but he has returned, with company." "Theresa…what are you telling me?" "The Court of Blades has returned, and with them comes darkness more powerful than that of the Crawler. Their darkness will not spread across the world with shadows or ooze, it will spread with the ashes of Albion's lands and the burnt bones of its people. The Court has always existed for the purpose of ruling and destroying the people of Albion." "Who are the Court of Blades?" "A triumvirate of souls who go by the names of the Knight, Jack, and queen of Blades. Their origins are unknown to me and to the Oracle of Snowspire." "Oracle of-" "More will be revealed in time, Hero." Theresa seems to be more worried and on edge than normal. Normally she would take time to tell him about all he needs to know. "They rose from TheVoid to take control and rule over the people of Albion, after burning, drowning, and torturing the minds if the people…they succeeded. Out of the downtrodden came a man named William Black. William Black descended into The Void upon reading an ancient tome. Within, he stole the Sword of Aeons from Jack of Blades and used it in the greatest battles in Old Kingdom history in order to destroy the Court." "He defeated all three?" "Yes, the Knight and Jack were lesser challenges but he battled the Queen for weeks on end. Jack escaped into his mask, the other two's souls disappeared into the Void. When Jack had a body, he carried the masks of his comrades with him on an enchanted belt across his body. When Jack was defeated in the Chamber of Fate, the masks were kept safe in the far reaches of the world where they would never meet again. Jack's mask was given to my brother for his trophy and his sacrifices. The Knight's mask was hidden somewhere in the Northern Wastes. The Queen's mask lies now behind a Demon Door in what was once known as Oakvale, my home. You have come to know it by the name of Wraithmarsh." "What must I do Theresa? I caused this, how do I fix it?" "The answer will be revealed in time, there is something first that must be done." "What is that?" "You are down in a cavern, about to face one of the largest kingdoms of hobbes ever to exist, they have thrived under the earth for centuries now since the Guild fell. You have just killed one of the scouts, but not so easily. you have come down into the caves without any weapons…it is time one is revealed to you." "What do you mean?" "You blood is strong Hero, our blood is strong. But the blood has flowed weaker in the past years…this has caused the event of you needing the gauntlets to channel your Will powers. This cannot be the case if you are to survive the world beyond this cave." "How are you supposed to change my blood. I am old Theresa…I am weak. The gauntlets have started to only work when I feel…anger…extreme anger or passion." "Exactly. When my brother's power was tapped, my mother did it, she used some technique to activate his true powers as an Archon. I have found a way to tap your powers, yours will not be as effective normally, but…I can make you feel passion or anger. Those feelings will escalate your new powers to how they would have been with the gauntlets in your prime. You will no longer need gauntlets to channel your powers, Hero. Your palms will burn with the fire in your heart, and your enemies will be blown to pieces with the power in your soul." Theresa reaches to him, almost touching him. He feels a surge of energy flow through him that he has not felt in years. He feels like he did the day he laid siege on Bowerstone and took the crown for himself. He feels young, strong, and once more like a Hero. Will energy flows through his blood and he feels his power grow within himself. "Theresa…I'm…changing." The king's beard shortens itself to a managed beard, his hair all turns to a healthy, youthful brown. Muscular definition slowly returns to his body, his face lifts from its aged hang and sets itself as it was years ago. The hero's body straightens, he stands tall and proud once more. Sparks of flame light on his fingertips and wind starts to cyclone around his entire body. "Your youth has returned to you, King of Albion. I have given you the gift of the Archons of the Old Kingdom, long life and extreme power. I will return to you soon, Hero. But now, you must fight your way out of this kingdom of hobbes. Be very careful, they know this darkness and have known it for generations. But I have given you a gift of fire, fire which blinds those who do not see the light. Until we meet again, Hero of Albion." Theresa's body fades into the darkness where she came from, his world returns to the total black surroundings as they were. The world seems to begin once more, and the king is ready for it.